York County, VA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)

Section 16-19.2(a) targets radios, stereos, loudspeakers, televisions, CD players and musical instruments, making it unlawful to operate them whenever the sound is plainly audible 100 feet or more from the source on someone else's property, audible inside a closed detached residential dwelling other than the source property, or between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. audible across a residential property line or through shared partitions between dwelling units. Subsection (b) applies the same 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. window and 100-foot or property-line test to public address systems and sound trucks.

Beyond these plainly-audible rules, section 16-19.3 sets numeric decibel ceilings: outdoors, 65 dB(A) on residential property from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. dropping to 55 dB(A) overnight, and indoors, 55 dB(A) daytime dropping to 50 dB(A) overnight, with the most restrictive zoning classification controlling when a noise source is measured in more than one district. Section 16-19.5 exempts permitted parades, fireworks displays, religious services, school and government-sponsored events, and lawncare equipment with factory mufflers used between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. The Board of Supervisors adopted these sections declaring excessive noise a hazard to public health, welfare and quality of life, and the county administrator sets standards for testing and calibrating enforcement sound meters under section 16-19.4.